Alright, first question you might have is "what does he mean by 'Multi-Talented'?" well its simple, just vocalists who can both growl and do clean vocals, Mikael Akerfeldt being a great example of this. I feel having someone who can do both really adds a lot of depth to the music, and variety. My personal favorite is Warlord from Turisas, he showed his range best in the newest album, his growls got far more intense and his clean singing appeared to be more confident as well as being well placed in the music. So who are some of your favs?

But Björn Strid is my absolute favorite of the versatile vocalists. Just so many tricks in his bag. Very playful with his voice and on Soilwork's latest album he's managed to pull off some nearly impossible vocals like on Spectrum of Eternity and Tongue. Great live performer too.

In addition Opeth's Akerfeldt and Stanne from Dark Tranquility are very good too.

And Alissa White-Gluz, specially on The Agonist third album - really impressive stuff.

I'm guessing Maynard James Keenan and Benjamin Burnley don't count, so I'm going to go with Devin Townsend. Man can that guy sing and scream. Anders Fridén and Alissa White-Gluz are also some of my favorites. Oh, and I don't think I've ever heard him on Scar Symmetry, but I know Christian Älvestam from Solution .45, and he is really good.

(On a side note, Mikael Akerfeldt is actually my favorite growler, but while his clean singing is good, it just doesn't stand out to me and have as much impact as the others)

Written by Valentin B on 22.02.2009 at 23:51 people why the fuck don't you give credit where it's due? everyone just keeps on wanking Mikael Akerfeldt

Don't get me wrong, I'm a Breaking Benjamin fan, followed them since they first released Saturate, but calling Ben "multi-talented" is just wrong. He's damned decent singing wise, but that's about it. His screams are stale, and live he screws up notes constantly. Anselmo is definitely one of the better vocalists in metal. He's able to scream like a pissed-off Velociraptor, yet still has a gentle, soothing voice when he wants it.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a Breaking Benjamin fan, followed them since they first released Saturate, but calling Ben "multi-talented" is just wrong. He's damned decent singing wise, but that's about it. His screams are stale, and live he screws up notes constantly. Anselmo is definitely one of the better vocalists in metal. He's able to scream like a pissed-off Velociraptor, yet still has a gentle, soothing voice when he wants it.

As I said, I assume he doesn't count. He isn't really a screamer, he just occasionally does a pseudo-death growl. I really don't care if he screws up live or not because I'm not listening to him live. Anyway, as I said before, I can't stand Phil Anselmo (except for when he does clean singing like on Cemetery Gates, then I just don't find it very compelling), regardless of whether he is considered talented or not. Same goes for Randy Blythe, I can tell he's a very good screamer, but his voice just gets on my nerves, it's too "dry". This isn't asking for the most talented, it's asking for your favorite.

Wow, really? The only time he was ever passable was in Jester Race and Whoracle when he had an ok guttural style that worked. After than he adopted those really weak screams and then later tried singing, which he obviously cannot do with any skill or talent. I think on the recent records he's probably an example of one of the worst vocalists currently performing. Why would anyone choose Friden when they could have Mikael Stanne; an infinitely better vocalist who has both a competent and distinctive singing voice and black metal style rasps / shriek where he manages to annunciate words better than practically anyone else while doing so.

Don't have a standout favourite but mentions go to Attila Csihar, Mikael Akerfaldt and John Haughm.

Attila has growling capability, the throat singing, the cleans which are a standout here (6:30 onwards) and the incredible animalistic shrieking (4:20-4:50).

Mikael has beautiful cleans and top tier harsh vocals. His growls in The Roundhouse Tapes live DVD are some of the best growls i've ever heard.

John Haughm has delivered some of my more beloved shrieks/screams (Black Lake Nidstang, Not Unlike the Waves, Birth and Death of the Pillars of Creation) and has very nice dreamy cleans on top of great raspy, whisper like harsh vocals.

Wow, really? The only time he was ever passable was in Jester Race and Whoracle when he had an ok guttural style that worked. After than he adopted those really weak screams and then later tried singing, which he obviously cannot do with any skill or talent. I think on the recent records he's probably an example of one of the worst vocalists currently performing. Why would anyone choose Friden when they could have Mikael Stanne; an infinitely better vocalist who has both a competent and distinctive singing voice and black metal style rasps / shriek where he manages to annunciate words better than practically anyone else while doing so.

Because I like the way Ander's sounds better, actually the style on Jester Race and Whoracle are my least favorite of his vocal work as it's the least expressive (okay, correction, his worst vocal work was on Dark Tranquility's debut, it was bad enough to get him fired). Mikael Stanne just sounds incredibly generic IMO, too polished and boring and whatnot (admittedly this is based on my extremely limited experience with the band (and Lunar Strain), so maybe I've only heard their more mellow recent stuff and more generic earlier stuff). I don't know why there is this constant contest against Anders and Stanne, they are very different vocalists and I don't think they should be compared. You might call his screaming weak, but I consider it to be some of the most powerful screams I've ever heard, in fact he was the first vocalist whose screams I actually found to add to the song. Like it or hate it, his singing/screaming style, especially latter on, has made an impact on people, enough to be widely recognized. Sure, technically he is no wear near extremely talented, but his singing is pretty unique, fairly versatile, and very emotional, and that's why I like it.

Because I like the way Ander's sounds better, actually the style on Jester Race and Whoracle are my least favorite of his vocal work as it's the least expressive (okay, correction, his worst vocal work was on Dark Tranquility's debut, it was bad enough to get him fired). Mikael Stanne just sounds incredibly generic IMO, too polished and boring and whatnot (admittedly this is based on my extremely limited experience with the band (and Lunar Strain), so maybe I've only heard their more mellow recent stuff and more generic earlier stuff). I don't know why there is this constant contest against Anders and Stanne, they are very different vocalists and I don't think they should be compared. You might call his screaming weak, but I consider it to be some of the most powerful screams I've ever heard, in fact he was the first vocalist whose screams I actually found to add to the song. Like it or hate it, his singing/screaming style, especially latter on, has made an impact on people, enough to be widely recognized. Sure, technically he is no wear near extremely talented, but his singing is pretty unique, fairly versatile, and very emotional, and that's why I like it.

In Flames were probably the first metal band I truly loved, along with SoaD, but even way back then when everything was fresh and new to me Ander's vocals did very little for me and were never the draw and appeal of In Flames. Maybe some people do have an emotional attachment to him, but I can certainly say that I don't. Definitely the most superfluous component of the band to me and the band can only benefit from booting him out.

Nothing wrong with comparing the two. They've been in both bands and had a career opposite each other making music in a similar field. Perhaps Stanne wasn't the best example though. Bjorn Strid is probably a better opponent to Anders who is also someone who has both talented vocal skill and an appealing voice.

Because I like the way Ander's sounds better, actually the style on Jester Race and Whoracle are my least favorite of his vocal work as it's the least expressive (okay, correction, his worst vocal work was on Dark Tranquility's debut, it was bad enough to get him fired). Mikael Stanne just sounds incredibly generic IMO, too polished and boring and whatnot (admittedly this is based on my extremely limited experience with the band (and Lunar Strain), so maybe I've only heard their more mellow recent stuff and more generic earlier stuff). I don't know why there is this constant contest against Anders and Stanne, they are very different vocalists and I don't think they should be compared. You might call his screaming weak, but I consider it to be some of the most powerful screams I've ever heard, in fact he was the first vocalist whose screams I actually found to add to the song. Like it or hate it, his singing/screaming style, especially latter on, has made an impact on people, enough to be widely recognized. Sure, technically he is no wear near extremely talented, but his singing is pretty unique, fairly versatile, and very emotional, and that's why I like it.

In Flames were probably the first metal band I truly loved, along with SoaD, but even way back then when everything was fresh and new to me Ander's vocals did very little for me and were never the draw and appeal of In Flames. Maybe some people do have an emotional attachment to him, but I can certainly say that I don't. Definitely the most superfluous component of the band to me and the band can only benefit from booting him out.

Nothing wrong with comparing the two. They've been in both bands and had a career opposite each other making music in a similar field. Perhaps Stanne wasn't the best example though. Bjorn Strid is probably a better opponent to Anders who is also someone who has both talented vocal skill and an appealing voice.

Anders is by no means the first metal vocalist I heard, the first melodeath song I've heard was "Are You Dead Yet?", and while I like the song I don't care much for the vocals, and the first death metal band of any sort I became a fan of was Death, not In Flames, and I don't care for the vocals at all, it's the riffing and soloing I love (they also have some of the best lyrics in death metal). Maybe I have an emotional attachment to him, but there is definitely an aspect to his voice I found appealing.

Yeah, their is a common history to Mikael and Anders, but their style is very different, I agree Bjorn would be a better match. Both Mikael and Bjorn are technically much better vocals than Anders, but I still prefer Anders, it might be the suck that I found appealing, Bjorn reminds me of pop metal star while Anders has more of a classic nu metal feel, and while I think most nu metal is horrendous, I prefer it's emotionallity to pop's polish.

I think that Anders' growls were good back in the day although not versatile. But there is no need for that always - on Jester Race, Whoracle, Colony and Clayman he sounds stunning and along with great instrumental side makes these albums deep and dreamy somehow... thoroughly enjoyable. His cleans have never been very good though.

Björn hasn't been very poppy imo... Maybe on some of the more groovy albums in the mid 2000s, but his stronger material, like on Chainheart Machine or The Living Infinite he's an absolute beast. And also handles cleans very well. But I am a bit of a fanboy too, so maybe I'm not 100% objective.

I think that Anders' growls were good back in the day although not versatile. But there is no need for that always - on Jester Race, Whoracle, Colony and Clayman he sounds stunning and along with great instrumental side makes these albums deep and dreamy somehow... thoroughly enjoyable. His cleans have never been very good though.

Björn hasn't been very poppy imo... Maybe on some of the more groovy albums in the mid 2000s, but his stronger material, like on Chainheart Machine or The Living Infinite he's an absolute beast. And also handles cleans very well. But I am a bit of a fanboy too, so maybe I'm not 100% objective.

Yeah, he's a very good singer, but I find his cleans more generic sounding than Anders, even though his are stronger, Ander's sound more personal.